Monday, June 26, 2006

Moist with Pride

Hi. It's Dolores. What's new with you?

Yesterday was Chicago's Pride March, and the Boss had his annual two sips of Heineken. As usual, this knocked him flat on his caboose and so he's asked me to step in and give an account of the festivities. And they were festive in spite of the fact that for most of the day it was pissing down rain.

I'm only to happy to do the post after reading back through the past several entries and seeing what has been written about me. Were I not 1) bred to be demure and 2) a dedicated Taoist, I would fume and rage and sue for defamation. It's only too apparent that before I arrived this blog was a backwater, and my good character is being assassinated in order to ratchet up the numbers.

I trust none of you has been fooled by his lurid fantasias. I will admit to having something of a past, but when he tells you that, for example, I rode the former Bishop of Birmingham's wife like a show pony, please try to remember there are two sides to every story. Also that Anglican women have no sense of humor.

Where was I?

Pride Day. Yes. While the boys snored and drooled, I got up at the ass crack of dawn to fix a hearty, nourishing breakfast for all of us. Omelettes, hash browns, the works, plus a radiant rainbow salad of julienned vegetables with my own special vinaigrette. You have perhaps heard of my vinaigrette. There was an incident in the 70s when I caught Julia Child sneaking around the kitchen during one of my pool parties, trying to find the recipe. The press had a field day with the story. May I take a moment and set the record straight? It is true that I let Julia know I did not approve of her snooping. It is not true that I tried to feed her face-first into the Cuisinart.

Where was I?

Breakfast. Yes. It was all going splendidly and then there was a knock at the door from the Colt model who lives in our building. The poor guy was shirtless, in a frenzy, and told me he needed to borrow some Crisco. I chided him for leaving not preparing his pie crust in advance, whereupon he admitted to being a bad, bad boy. I gave him a little slap on his pert little bum, and then he said I really should get the Crisco, and then I did, and then we got to talking about grease and whatnot and before you could say "flaky and tender" the omelettes had gone and caught fire.

Well, you would think Franklin had never burned anything in the kitchen, which my taste buds and I will assure you is not the case. He was screaming and jumping like a man possessed, and even a quite appreciative comment from our neighbor when his kimono accidentally flew open didn't calm him down.

After a fashion we put the fire out, and cleaned most of the Crisco off the floor, but by that time I needed to start my beauty regimen so I headed for the tub. If my culinary efforts aren't appreciated, as far as I'm concerned the household may breakfast on cold cereal and toast.

Four hours later, on the dot, we were stationed in a prime viewing spot along Broadway with our upstairs neighbor Buzz–the Rhoda to Franklin's Mary as it were. Or the Ethel to his Lucy. Or the Gog to his Magog. Or the...forget it.

Franklin had his camera, and threw himself with great gusto into documenting the parade. Here are a few snaps, which I will organize thematically.

Theme One: Drag

For somebody who claims to find drag unnerving, Franklin can't seem to leave the queens alone on Pride Day. I think he's just afraid he might find that putting on a tiara and a pair of fishnets would make him feel a not unpleasant tingle in his tummy.

This one calls herself "Miss Foozie" and she's quite a feature of the local landscape. Not unlike the Rocky Mountains are for Denver.

I'd been wondering what Tina Turner was up to these days.

After he shot this picture Franklin gasped, "Omigod, he's a trainer at my gym."

Auntie Mame says olives take up too much room.

The glamour of the lifestyle has faded somewhat for this title holder.

Define "fair."

Man? Woman?

When this one rode past Franklin said, "Hey, does she remind you of anybody?" and they all snickered. Must be some weird in-joke.Theme Two: Groups

You have two kinds of groups who march in the parade. You have the kind who hire a generic float and take their clothes off and expect that to make a statement, and then you have the kind who put a little effort into it.

Without wishing to slight the barechested, we will here celebrate the creativity of the latter group.

I don't remember the cause, but I adore the hats.

Kings and queens, simultaneously. Top that, Mrs. Windsor-Mountbatten.Art students from Columbia College...

...who were singing along to a phat house remix of "The Lonely Goatherd"Theme Three: Chicks

The biological variety.

She's either happy, high, or hallucinating from dehydration.

This one's for Franklin's sister. (The photo, I mean. Not the woman.)

Woman? Man?

In my next life I wish to be Brazilian.

Zounds.

I wonder what she had to do to earn all those beads?

As the wonderful old Styne/Sondheim song says, all she needs now is the girl.

I'd heard them called "little girls" but never before seen it interpreted literally.

A naughty schoolgirl from the Tulip Adult Boutique float shows us what's under her kilt.

Buzz's reaction to the above. His enduring innocence is so cute.

Theme Four: Dudes

Franklin says he took these only in order to make certain he could present a well-rounded photojournalistic account of the event. What a trooper.

If you just scrolled right down to these without reading the rest, you go right back up to the top and start over. No cheating allowed.

Oh, the places that tongue must have been.

The Lutherans are apparently trying out new ways to win converts.

Care for a little Bacardi?

The Brazilian gene pool is so deeply unfair to the rest of us.

Which bit do I rub to get my three wishes?

You know what they say about the green ones.

Dresses funny, but has access to unlimited chocolate.

Peel back protective labels before use.

From a float extolling the virtues of cleanliness.

Nice hat.

Can you just imagine the fight they must have had about what to wear to the parade?

We do not approve of the rope belt trend, but we will overlook it this once.

I wonder if he caught cold. Note the banana in the background. You're about to read more about the banana.

Theme Five: The Banana Lady

In spite of all other attractions, Pride 2006 will forever be known to my boys as the Year of the Banana. No, not that kind.

There was this woman on the sidelines who had for reasons unexplained chosen to attend the parade dressed as a banana. She bore striking resemblance to Britney Spears in not only her fashion sense, but also in her deportment and appetite for cheap beer.

As is their wont, the boys immediately became obsessed with the Banana Lady. Me, I cannot imagine anything more revolting than a badly dressed woman exhibiting public drunkeness.

Franklin shot enough frames to create a montage of her many moods.

Banana Lady was not a registered parade participant, but nonetheless became the de facto cheerleader for an entire stretch of Broadway. She yelled her head off for every float, group, and straggler who passed by. As the Gay Something Something for Something Gay Justice filed past, she screamed "I love justice!"

C, whose mania for the abnormal knows no bounds (look who he's dating) had a picture taken with her.

We last encountered the Banana Lady sitting on a beer cooler (how fitting) after the parade. We waved and she waved back.

"You guys are my best friends!" she shouted. This, dear readers, is a banana with a hell of a lot of love to give.

As a parting shot, I give you Franklin's portrait of our little band of comrades after the last float, dedicated to a gay-friendly aluminum siding firm, had rolled past and yet another Pride Parade became only a beer-stained memory smelling faintly of body fluids.

Delores should come to St. Louis's Pride next year. She could succeed Morgan Fairchild as the Grand Marshall. Chicago's parade looks like so much fun! Ours was half politicians throwing bubble gum. I almost wish it had rained - my sunburn still hurts. Happy Pride, Franklin and C!

What a way to come home! Welcome back! And thanks for the pics of all the hot guys... even though there's no hope for me there. No drag queen with a Carmen Miranda headdress? She would have been right at home with the banana lady.

OMG, I could swear one of those guys is my former psychotherapist, and he DID move to Chicago (maybe to get away from me?) And all that time, I thought he had a crush on me..... What? No issues here. :D

Okay, I'm telling my drag queens at Pride story. A couple of years ago I took Tigger and friends had their guy (about same age) and provided super soakers (big water guns). (we were in the parade) My friend is running down the rules with the kids. You can soak anyone who soaks you. No soaking people with cameras or drag queens. Friend's boy says "What's a drag queen" so she translates "Don't soak the pretty ladies." Later, before the parade gets going we're standing there and a couple of drag queens walk past so friend takes a moment to reinforce the message -- "That is a pretty lady. Do not under any circumstances soak her." to which Tigger gives her a disdainful look and says "That's not a lady. That's a boy." You can't win. They did not soak any drag queens (and thus survived).

Finally coming out of hiding - love your blog (and of course, Delores!). Chicago Pride parades take me back - I lived just off Broadway in the early 80's. Also was a Columbia art student. Now I live where there's Pride Week and those gorgeous guys walk in front of my store all the time. Usually with clothes on ...

i was kinda hoping to see a few more cowboy hats. i actually sold 3 dozen to some guy who was buying them for the sherrif's department? who was supposed to be marching in the parade. and i thought he was a she until he told me his name, lol.

waht a fun event. i'll have to go some time (is it mandatory to be gay? i'll leave mark at home, honest!)

I love the poor elderly naffed off guy..if he wants to sit on the sidelines next year he should he just doesn't look up to it .As for the banana maybe she missed the carnival in Trinidad or something ?As for the overly muscle-bound ..yuck .Dolores you are a sport .I shall look forward to "Hay Pride " do you and your fellow sheepies have a parade somewhere in America with sheep ( brain working overtime) I'd say The White House but that's a gross insult to fleece bearers.

ok, the banana lady makes me happy we were on Halstead by Caribou Coffee.Sorry we missed you, we did look for you tho ( ok so in Iowa we are able to find people in large crowds ) but the 400000 people made it difficult.Lady Wy, DitzyCadet, Earthling, Biblioshark and the Iowa Queen

And wow, you have REAL MEN in Chicago. There's just way too much fashion here, it's tiring.

Pride is still fun, but has become fractious, with everyone having their own day. Every borough (with the exception of Staten Island), has its own Pride, and the women have a separate march entirely, the day before the 26th. Where's the unity?

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